53-6-901. (Temporary) Legislative findings and purpose. The legislature finds that among the contributing causes of the increase in the cost of the medicaid program has been the lack of sufficient incentive by participants in the medicaid program to conserve government funds used to pay for medicaid medical benefits. The legislature believes that treatment of medicaid funds as the personal funds of medicaid recipients would provide that needed incentive. The purpose of this part is to create a pilot program by which the effect of that incentive may be tested by providing high-deductible health care coverage to a limited number of medicaid-eligible adults and minors and allowing those participants in a pilot project to keep a part of the state money that is not used by the participants for health care expenses below the amount at which coverage begins. In this way, the legislature will test the use of personal financial incentive to help reduce medicaid costs and educate medicaid consumers to make informed decisions about appropriate use of health care. (Terminates October 1, 2001--sec. 1, Ch. 28, L. 1999.)

     History: En. Sec. 1, Ch. 380, L. 1997.